This is Halloween
by bubblegum1425
Summary: Summary: Katniss Everdeen has been in love with her best friend, Peeta Mellark, forever. They'd grown together, carrying on their yearly Halloween tradition of watching The Nightmare Before Christmas. But this year, Katniss is finally going to use their time together to tell Peeta how she feels...If Peeta doesn't ruin things first. Fluffy College Everlark. Modern AU


**Author's Note: So, I know this is a little late, considering it's November 2****nd****, but I hope everyone will still find this Halloween themed one-shot fun to read. It's very…fluffy. Sometimes everyone just needs a little sweet [and dirty ;) ] Everlark. Thank you so much to my betas, ct522/titania522 and peetabreadgirl. Please review!**

_This is stupid. This is stupid. This is SO stupid. _

The thought pounded over and over in Katniss' head as she stared down at the way-too-short, white, low-cut tunic, thin brown belt, and strapped, soft, leather sandals scattered out on her bed. Katniss bit her lip. She couldn't possibly wear this as a Halloween costume. _What the hell had Prim been thinking?_

Katniss shot a nervous glance at her mirror, taking full account herself, still shocked at seeing the mascara, blush, and silver-white eye shadow on her face that accented her stormy grey eyes. Her brown hair was carefully and intricately braided to encircle her head, interwoven with thin silver thread that glinted in the dull light of her bedroom lamp. A small diadem with a crescent moon at its center rested over her dark tresses, making her look like some dark fairytale princess come to life. _Yes, what the hell had Prim been thinking?!_

When Katniss had asked her sister for suggestions for a last minute Halloween costume, she had not expected Prim to drive the 45 minutes to Capitol University from their small hometown to help Katniss out. Nevertheless, her sister had arrived in a whirl of bright enthusiasm, make-up case in hand, and beyond excited that Katniss was finally showing some desire to actually participate in Halloween. Katniss had been too embarrassed to tell her why, even while Prim had peppered with questions repeatedly.

To Katniss' utter relief...and then almost immediate subsequent horror...Prim had finally stopped asking questions when she'd found the tunic her roommate Johanna had worn to a toga party at one of the frat houses last year in one of Katniss' drawers. Katniss had no idea how it had gotten there. Prim had fallen utterly deaf to her protestations that it wasn't hers, that Johanna was smaller than her, and that the costume would never first. Instead, Katniss' sister had insisted that it would be perfect to make her into Diana, The Roman Goddess of Hunting and the Woods.

"_Aren't you taking that Myths and Legends class, Katniss? You said you were covering Greek and Roman mythology right? It'll be perfect! You already have dad's bow and these sandals look Roman-ish, and you have so many boring brown belts… You can finally put one to good use! I can do your hair and make-up. You're going to look so beautiful. Is Peeta going to be there? What's he going as?" _

Katniss blushed as she recalled her sister's rapid fire questions, just as she had at the time her sister had asked them, her heart stuttering in her chest as she thought of her best friend. _Her _Peeta...or at least she wished he was hers. Katniss sighed wistfully. Peeta was the only reason she was going to this Halloween party tonight, and the concept that she, Katniss Everdeen, was going to willingly step foot inside a frat house was one she was still getting used to. _Why, why, why! had Peeta decided he wanted to break their tradition? _Katniss scowled at her reflection and began ripping off her clothes to change into the costume. She wasn't sure who she was angrier at, Peeta, or herself.

They'd been best friends since their first day in kindergarten when Peeta had told her that he thought her braids were pretty during recess. Not a day had gone by after that when they hadn't run home together to play after discovering they lived within a block of each other. There had been long summer days spent searching for crawdads in the creek and catching fireflies in jars, raking leaves into piles to jump into in the fall, snowball fights and snow forts in winter, and Katniss' favorite, laying out in the meadow amongst the flowers and dandelions in the spring. And of course, they always shared the cheese buns and pastries that Peeta snuck from his family's bakery, whatever the season.

Peeta had been there for Katniss when her father had died, and her mother's heart had left with him, leaving just a shell of the woman she had been behind. He'd never complained when the carefree playdates of their childhood had melted into afternoons spent helping Katniss baby-sit Prim, insisting they use the money Peeta got from working in the bakery to take Prim for ice cream or to the movies or for any other treat that Katniss couldn't afford to give her sister. And when the invitations for their first Halloween party had rolled in during middle school, and Katniss didn't have the money for a costume, Peeta had adamantly insisted he didn't want to go. Instead, they'd rented _The Nightmare Before Christmas,_ watching it over and over again until they knew the words to _"_This is Halloween" by heart. That was when she'd first started to fall for him.

It was a tradition they'd kept up through the rest of middle school, and high school, and even into college. As they got older, they'd added horror movies into their repertoire: _The Shining, The Omen, The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby._.. really any film Katniss could think of that would allow her to bury her head in Peeta's chest during the scariest moments without raising his suspicion that she was really just using them as an excuse to be close to him. Heat snaked through Katniss' body as she reflected how Peeta's chest had broadened over the years from countless wrestling practices or the way his muscular arms had wrapped around her to offer comfort, his sky blue eyes twinkling as he laughingly asked her why she wanted to watch these movies every year when they terrified her so much. Katniss would always hit him lightly over his blonde, wavy hair in retaliation, relishing the feel of his curls in her hands for a few brief seconds, and then they'd watch The Nightmare Before Christmas again to calm their nerves, Katniss desperately wishing he would kiss her the whole time.

They'd entered Capitol U, Peeta on a wrestling scholarship, Katniss on a full-ride grant, and with Katniss determined to reveal her feelings to him since they'd finally gotten away from the prying eyes of the residents in their small town of Panem. Or at least that had been Katniss' intent. She'd quickly chickened out when practically every girl whom Peeta came into contact with during their Freshman Welcome Week had hit on him, all but dismissing the plain-Jane girl in the worn-looking clothing with constant scowl on her face as a girl Peeta couldn't possibly be interested in dating. Katniss was just Peeta's friend, and someone never considered a threat to any of the beautiful girls who hoped to get into her best friend's pants.

But this year, their senior year, Katniss had been determined to be different. Peeta had broken up with his horrible girlfriend, Cashmere, over the summer, Prim was finally old enough to support her own wardrobe, allowing Katniss to finally buy clothes that fit her well, and they'd signed up for all the gen ed requirements they had left to fulfill together, allowing for plenty of time to spend studying with each other. Katniss had almost believed her approach was working, giving Peeta compliments, sneaking in simple light touches here and there, building her courage to tell him that she loved him. And a week ago, Katniss had gone to his apartment, enduring the usual ribbing from Peeta's roommate, Finnick, to ask him what movies they should get for their Halloween tradition, believing that would be the perfect night for Katniss to finally reveal how much she loved him. But it wasn't to be.

"_Hey, Peeta," Katniss said as she walked into Peeta's room. She shut the door tightly behind her against Finnick's continued joking catcalls from the living room, each time followed by an admonishment from his girlfriend, Annie. Katniss wasn't exactly surprised. She couldn't remember the last time she'd worn a dress, but the unseasonably warm October day had been too good an excuse not to wear the soft, green, knit dress she'd found at the local thrift store. _

"_Hey," Peeta replied, turning in his chair to greet her. Katniss almost glowed with pleasure as she caught his eyes flicking over her before he cleared his throat with a cough. "What's up?" he asked with a grin. _

_Katniss sat down on his bed. "Well, I already have Nightmare Before Christmas, but I was wondering what other movies you wanted to get for Halloween this year? I'll get the candy too, if you get the pizza and popcorn," she said excitedly but frowned when she watched Peeta's grin slide from his face, his expression morphing into a serious one. _

"_Kat... About that. Um, you know how Finnick's frat usually holds the Halloween Bash, and I was wondering-" He stopped abruptly as Katniss stood up, her hands clenched into tight fists. _

"_Wondering if it'd be ok for you to go to that instead?" Katniss hissed, working hard to conceal the hurt she was feeling at his desire to break the tradition they'd carried on for a decade and a half. _

_Peeta's mouth fell open a bit, a pink flush coloring his neck that only arose when Katniss knew Peeta felt stressed. "Well, yes…" he said slowly. "But, Katniss, I wanted to ask-" Katniss cut him off with a wave of her hand, anger flooding through her. This was supposed to be __the__ year, the year when she finally told him how she felt. And he was ruining it. _

"_I don't care what excuses you have, Peeta," she spat. "I can't believe you're breaking OUR tradition for some stupid frat party."_

"_Katniss, I… Please, listen," he pleaded, but Katniss shook her head violently. _

"_Whatever. Go if you want to. I don't care." _

"_Your reaction would suggest that you __do__,"_

_Katniss felt color flood her cheeks. "I'm sure there are tons of girls who would love to go with you. There always are," Katniss almost yelled, cursing herself for the jealousy raising its ugly head inside her, but she couldn't stop the word-vomit from spewing forth, her embarrassment that she thought he would have wanted to spend their last Halloween of college in...with her...growing with each passing second. "I bet you even already have one in mind. Who's the flavor of the week, this time, Peeta?" she finished wildly, breathing heavily. _

_Peeta stood up, rare anger darkening his usually smiling face. "You know I'm not like that with any girl, Katniss," he said calmly, but Katniss detected the hurt in his tone. He wrenched open the door and stepped over the threshold, before turning back to her for one last look. "Though as a matter of fact, I __did__ have a girl in mind that I thought would like to go, but she made it more than clear that she isn't interested. No worries though, I'm sure I can find a new flavor of the week," he said in a shockingly calm manner. He walked out the door without another word. _

Katniss strapped the brown belt snuggling around her waist, sadness flooding through her heart. She'd stormed out shortly thereafter, ignoring the bewildered looks on Finnick's and Annie's faces, and they hadn't spoken to one another in the week since, even though Katniss shared at least one class with him every day. It was the longest they had gone without talking since that time in third grade when Peeta had been laid up in bed with a fever for a week, and Peeta's mother hadn't allowed Katniss to visit him.

Katniss had spent that time agonizing over how to apologize to him, recognizing how badly she had overreacted. They really were seniors after all, and it was only reasonable that Peeta might want to have one college Halloween experience with his peers, but it made her angry, nonetheless. And then Katniss would always remember Peeta saying he did have a girl he'd wanted to ask, and her despair that she'd once again missed her chance had kept her silent.

A small part of Katniss had at least hoped Peeta would make an attempt at reconciliation, for Peeta hated to fight with anyone, especially her, but the painful silence between them during class was more than enough to show Katniss he wasn't going to be nearly as forgiving as he generally was. With that in mind, Katniss had put away the Twizzlers, Starbursts, Reeses Pieces, and Snickers she'd already bought, figuring she'd dump it in the biology major's lounge sometime, and thrown the stack of DVDs she'd anticipated Peeta would pick behind the TV, where Katniss didn't have to look at them. All Katniss had intended to do for her first Halloween alone since she was eleven was to watch bad Syfy movies, eat a shitty microwave dinner, go to bed early, and pretend that her fight with Peeta was just a bad dream. That is, until her friend Madge had blown into the apartment earlier today and practically begged Katniss to go to a Halloween party with her because the thought of going solo was too much for her shy friend to bear.

Katniss had listened with wide eyes as Madge had explained that her boyfriend, Gale, whom Katniss had actually also known since she was small, had been called away on a last minute business trip and could no longer go with her. Katniss had needed to hold in a laugh upon hearing that. Gale had graduated last year and was now interning with one of the local businesses. She doubted there was anything he'd rather be doing less than attending a party with a bunch of drunk college students. But Madge had begged Katniss to go in his stead, and Katniss had swiftly agreed much to both of their surprises, and now here Katniss was, about to go to her first Halloween Party.

A sharp knock on her door suddenly broke Katniss out of her reverie. "Katniss?" Prim's voice asked through the door. "Are you almost ready?" Katniss sighed.

"Yes, Prim, you can come in."

The door swung open, and Prim bounded into the room, stopping with an astonished expression on her face when she saw Katniss in her full regalia. She clapped her hands together. "Oh, Katniss! You look so amazing. There isn't going to be anyone who looks as beautiful as you at the party tonight. I'm so excited for you!" Katniss rolled her eyes a little and tugged the tunic down as far as it would go. She felt like her ass was hanging out of the dress.

"I'm not so sure about that, Little Duck," she snorted, laughing as Prim wrinkled her nose at the childhood nickname. She tugged on Prim's braids. "But thanks anyways." She shrugged on her brown leather jacket. "Madge will be here in a few minutes, so you can feel free to leave, if you want. I know you have a date planned with Rory tonight." Prim nodded her head and gathered her things before allowing Katniss to walk her to the door. She gave Katniss a tight hug.

"You know," she whispered into Katniss' ear. "If he hasn't seen how wonderful you are by now, then he's an idiot. And he also doesn't deserve you."

Katniss pulled away with a startled look on her face, protestations at the ready, but the knowing look on Prim's face was enough for Katniss to know that nothing she could say would fool her sister. "Maybe I don't deserve him," she said quietly. Prim squeezed Katniss one more time.

"Things will work out, K. You'll see. Please just remember to have some fun tonight," Prim said as she walked out the door. Katniss sighed again. _Easier said than done. _

**XXXXX**

The ground vibrated beneath Katniss' feet as she stared up at the frat house, a large banner with the words "Pi Delta Alpha's Annual Halloween Bash" written across it. She felt like she was going to be sick. It was the same one Peeta had mentioned. Peeta was going to be here.

She turned to Madge, who was decked out in the skimpiest angel costume Katniss had ever seen, with a chagrined look. "Madge, you didn't tell me the Halloween party was at a frat house...that it was at _this_ frat house," she said with a grim expression. Madge looked at her confusedly.

"Gale knows a ton of the guys here. He was never part of the frat, but he played on a lot of intramural teams with a lot of them. I thought you knew that? You came to plenty of the games." Katniss blushed profusely. Any time she attended any sporting event at Capitol U, intramural or otherwise, had always been in support of Peeta.

"I'm just not sure Madge. I don't know how I feel about going to a frat party. It's not...not...really my thing," Katniss said slowly. Madge tugged on Katniss sleeve with a look that said she wasn't going to put up with any of Katniss' excuses.

"You promised you'd come with me." Katniss scowled deeply but didn't argue, and they made their way up to the front door.

"Hotties!" a loud male voice boomed out from the doorway. Katniss groaned. She would know that voice anywhere. She had to endure it every day in her Genetics class.

"Hello, Cato," Katniss sighed, eyeing his dick-in-a-box "costume" with distaste. She wished to get this over with as quickly as possible.

"Everdeen? Is that really you?" Cato gasped, his mouth falling open as he looked her up and down, his gaze finally settling on her chest. Katniss shifted uncomfortably.

"Can we come in?" she asked bluntly. Cato only continued to stare at Katniss, slack-jawed, until Katniss was finally felt compelled to kick him in his bro-douche shin, spurring Madge to let out a shocked squeak.

"Ow! Shit, Everdeen!" Cato yelled. "It looks like you still have a stick way too far up your ass," he sneered, looking like he wanted to say a few more choice words, but he seemed to think better of it once he caught the glare on Katniss' face. "Five dollar cover charge. Beer is free. If you want anything harder, it's 50 cents to a dollar per drink, depending on what it is. All proceeds go to the Boys and Girls Club." Katniss snorted and shoved the money at him, not even bothering with a thank you before striding inside, Madge trailing in her wake. _It looked like it was going to be another banner night_, Katniss grumbled internally.

**XXXXX**

Katniss huffed out what felt like her thousandth sigh of the night, wondering how much longer she thought Madge wanted to stay. Of course, to even ask that question, Katniss would have to _find_ Madge. She pushed through the crowd towards the backyard, the only place Katniss hadn't checked yet.

After about an hour of standing awkwardly at Madge's side while she made small talk with Gale's friends, Katniss had skived off to grab whatever alcohol she could find first, and she'd run into a very surprised Johanna, dressed up as a "sexy axe murderer," in the keg line. But her roommate was too far gone to communicate much more than to let Katniss know she wouldn't be home in the morning and would, in fact, shortly be going to spend that night at a professor's house, though she hadn't deigned to name him. That was something that Katniss was more than content with not knowing.

After that, she'd spent most of the evening fending off various guys incredibly lame come-ons as she searched for Madge. Her particular favorite had come from a boy who had introduced himself as Marvel Thomas. He'd attempted to tug Katniss' bow off her shoulder, informing her that he was cupid, and he needed to hit her with his "love arrow" all while wearing a Walking Dead zombie outfit. Katniss had snapped him with the bow's string and left him howling in pain, but she hadn't stopped to see what damage she might have caused.

She'd followed that encounter up with a second drink...and a third…and perhaps a few more. Katniss wasn't entirely sure at this point. Her one silver lining was that she hadn't seen Peeta anywhere, ensuring that she wouldn't do something embarrassing in front of him...like confess her feelings. _You are so stupid to think he could possibly want you, and you don't need him anyways_, Katniss had told herself repeatedly, but the pangs of longing she felt every time she saw any happy-looking couple suggested otherwise. Katniss just didn't want to face how much she missed him right now. She stumbled out onto the patio, feet unsteady from the amount of alcohol she'd consumed, and looked around for Madge but saw no sign of her friend.

"Katniss?" a sweet voice giggled from behind her. Katniss turned around to find Annie staring at her, her sea-green eyes round with excitement, her auburn-brown hair covered in fake jewels. She had on a purple bra with cups that looked like sea-shells and a short green sparkling skirt. Katniss raised her eyebrows in bemused appraisal. And she'd thought _she_ wasn't wearing enough clothing…

"Annie? What are you supposed to be?" she asked tentatively. Annie looked down at herself.

"I'm a siren," she answered without a trace of embarrassment. "And Finnick's God of the Sea. He just went to get us another drink," she giggled, but then she eyes Katniss with a pleased expression.

"What are you supposed be, Katniss? You look beautiful."

Katniss blushed at her words and replied, "I'm Diana, Goddess of Hunting and the Woods. My sister thought it would be a good costume for me." Annie nodded her approval vigorously.

"Oh, it's definitely a good costume," Finnick said, coming up from behind Annie with two large drinks in hand. Katniss' eyebrows rose even higher Finnick's costume. Clothed only in a grass skirt and sea-shell necklace and carrying a trident in hand, he really did look like a God of the Sea.

"I'd love to borrow that outfit someday, Finnick," Katniss said sardonically. Finnick grinned.

"Anytime. I bet Peeta would love to see you in it," he said with a wink, but Katniss felt the color begin to drain from her face.

"Yeah, I'm so glad you came around to coming with him. He was so sad after you and he argued," Annie added.

Katniss' head swam, and she took a long pull from the beer clutched in head. _He'd wanted to ask her to this party. Her. _She drained the rest of her drink and quickly grabbed another from a nearby cooler. _She was such a jerk_. _How in the hell was she going to apologize now?_ "You guys haven't seen him, have you?" she asked Annie and Finnick, ignoring the confused looks they were giving her as she pounded her beer. "I lost him, along with Madge a little while ago. I've been texting both of them," she lied. Finnick laughed.

"Well, I saw Madge a little while ago, but she was attached to Gale's mouth so I figured I shouldn't bother her." Now, it was Katniss' turn to look a little bewildered.

"Gale?" she asked stupidly.

"Yeah, I assume he surprised her, and I'm guessing that's why she hasn't responded to your texts. And um, Katniss? Peeta is right over there," Finnick said with a wave of her hand towards one corner of the backyard. Katniss whipped around and took in the scene.

Peeta was standing in profile, accentuating the strong line of his jaw. Even with slightly blurry vision, Katniss could still see how handsome he was, dressed in a forest green shirt, brown fitted overcoat and shooting gloves, black pants, and black leather boots. He had a toy bow in his hand, and a quiver of arrows on his back. _Robin Hood_, Katniss realized. Heat pooled low in her belly, and she started over towards him, forgetting, in her alcohol-induced haze, about Annie and Finnick or that she owed him a huge apology, such was her desire to touch him. But just before she reached him, something happened that made her blood run cold.

_Cashmere._

She watched as Peeta's blonde, beautiful ex-girlfriend, dressed in a skin-tight medieval looking robe with a neckline that plunged to her navel, sidled up to him and wrapped her arm around his waist. _Had they come together? Had they gotten back together?_ Katniss felt rooted to the ground, helpless to move, as Peeta turned to Cashmere and told something to her. Cashmere shook her head hard and pushed up on her toes, clearly leaning in for a kiss. _Too late. She was too late._ Katniss let out a pained gasp, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes and began to panic, realizing Peeta must have heard, because he turned in the direction of the sound she'd made.

"Katniss?" he questioned, a shocked look on his face, but Katniss couldn't reply. Her tongue was like lead in her mouth. Peeta stared at her, his eyes darting up and down her figure, before returning to Katniss' face. His eyes flitted towards Cashmere briefly, panic of his own reflected in his eyes. It was all the confirmation Katniss needed, and she turned on her heels and began to push back through the crowd. Katniss thought she heard Peeta shout her name, but Katniss didn't care. She couldn't watch the only other person besides her sister that she was certain that she loved be with another person anymore.

Katniss had just gotten out onto the street when she felt one hand firmly grasp her arm and found herself twirled around to find Peeta looking down at her with concern. "Katniss, what was _that?_ Are you alright?"

Despite herself, tears began to run down Katniss' face. "I'm s-sorry, okkkkk," she cried, slurring her words both from the alcohol and her distress. "I-I was j-jerk. I should havve let you a-ask, and I was s-so sttuupid. I jusst thought you didn't want to d-do it anymore. Orr I just should havve to-ld you a long ttime ago, and then you wouldn't b-be going out with Cashmere again. I can't believve you're g-oing out with Cashmere a-aggain!" Katniss knew she wasn't making much sense but still felt frustrated at the bewildered look on Peeta's face as he struggled to follow her words. She pushed against his chest with both hands in an attempt to get out of his grip but only succeeded in pulling both of them both to the ground, Peeta hitting the ground with a hard thud, and Katniss landing on top of him.

"Katniss," Peeta gasped, the air having been knocked out of him. "What the heck are you talking about?"

Katniss opened her mouth to speak again, but just then, her stomach heaved. She desperately tried to roll to the side, but Katniss felt like she was swimming in molasses. _Nothing like vomiting all over the guy you're in love with_. It was the last thought Katniss had before she blacked out.

**XXXXX**

Katniss cracked one eye open and let out a loud groan as the sun hit her face though a broken link in her window shade. Her head was pounding like a battering ram, and her mouth tasted like she'd been eating chalk for a week straight, confirming to her that this was the most hung-over she'd ever been in her entire life. A wave of nausea hit Katniss hard as she rolled over to check the time.

10:33 am

Katniss bolted upright, sending her stomach heaving once more. _She never slept this late. _She looked around wildly before looking down to see that she was still wearing her tunic, though the belt and her sandals had been removed at some point. And now that Katniss was thinking about it, she wasn't even sure how she'd gotten home. She pressed her hands over her eyes in an attempt to remember what had happened the night before.

_She'd gone to the party with Madge...Cato had been a tool...She'd lost Madge and had a lot to drink...She'd met up with Finnick and Annie...Oh God. _ Katniss stomach pitched again as she remembered seeing Peeta, recalling how badly she'd wanted him, but then seeing Cashmere try to kiss him. _And then that drunken tirade when he'd caught her in the street, and…_ Katniss buried her face in her hands as she remembered vomiting all over Peeta's costume, humiliation avalanching through her body as she pictured his shocked face, followed quickly by fear. Katniss realized she'd most likely destroyed any chance she had of being with Peeta in a romantic way but that she could have wrecked their entire friendship as well.

Katniss stumbled out of bed and made her way to the bathroom, her bladder crying out for attention. When she'd finished, Katniss cast a passing glance at the mirror with disgust. Her mascara had smeared some, the heavy eye shadow had half rubbed off, and silver strands were sticking out at all angles from her hair, which had fallen out of its braids during the night. And still Katniss didn't look half as bad as she felt. She moved slowly to the kitchen with the intent of getting some aspirin, racking her brain for any ideas on how to mend the damage she'd caused.

"How are you feeling?" Peeta suddenly asked, causing Katniss to jump. She turned her head too rapidly and sent her head spinning, so that she wasn't entirely sure whether the vision of Peeta wearing a Pink Floyd T-shirt and slightly-too-large grey sweatpants she'd never seen him wear before was real. He looked at her tiredly, his blue eyes sad. "How are you feeling?" he repeated, holding out a large glass of water and several aspirin to her. Katniss took them from him and sunk into the armchair, while Peeta sat down on the couch. He watched her with an unreadable expression as she downed the pills and water. Katniss got the impression he was waiting for her to speak, and she asked the easiest question that popped into her head.

"How...where did you get those clothes?" Katniss asked. Peeta gave her a wan sort of smile.

"I borrowed from Johanna's stash of clothes from her one-night stands. Don't you remember her bragging about it the day I helped you move in here?" Katniss wrinkled her nose. She'd totally forgotten about that.

"Are you sure they're _clean_? I mean, Jo doesn't do laundry that often."

"My clothes were dirtier, trust me."

"O-oh," Katniss stuttered, going bright red. _Vomiting. Right._

"Yeah…" Peeta said, letting the moment trail off into awkward silence. He looked at her with intensity, like he was trying to read her thoughts. Katniss ran a nervous hand through her tresses, trying to sort through the rat's nest that her hair had become. It was so rare for Peeta _not_ to have anything to say, and Katniss found it quite disconcerting. She decided to ask another harmless question.

"How did we get back here?"

Peeta's brow furrowed slightly. "You don't remember?" Katniss shook her head, and Peeta sighed. "I carried you back here after you passed out." Katniss' eyes widened. It was nearly two miles back to her apartment.

"Why didn't you call a cab?" she asked.

Peeta shrugged. "I tried, but the cab company said it was going to be at least a 40 minute wait, and there was no one at that party safe enough to drive. It's fine." Katniss felt overwhelmed, reminded him once again how much she didn't deserve him.

"And...and you stayed?"

"You asked me to."

"I did?" Katniss said uncertainly. She didn't remember that but based on the unsurprised look on Peeta's face, he didn't really seem to have expected her to. He ran a hand through his already quite tousled looking hair and stood up, looking towards the door. Katniss felt her heart drop to her stomach.

"Listen, Katniss. I kinda feel like death warmed over, and I'd imagine you do too. So I'm going home to take a shower and change my clothes, but if it's all right, I'd like to come back later. I'm not sure what time though, but I feel like…" He paused for a second and took a deep breath, finally looking down at her, his expression one of deadly seriousness. "We need to talk, Katniss." He offered her a tiny smile that Katniss thought looked more like a grimace and showed himself out the door. Katniss' felt her heart crash to the ground.

**XXXXX **

Katniss sat on the couch and switched the channels on the television automatically, even though she wasn't really seeing what was on the screen. She was too feeling to upset.

After Peeta had left earlier, Katniss had dragged herself back to bed and cried herself to sleep, feeling certain that Peeta was going to dump their friendship in favor of someone who was far less of a screw up than she was. That feeling had only been confirmed when she had awoken a few hours later to zero texts and no missed calls from Peeta. Katniss had spent her time since attempting to distract herself by washing her make-up covered sheets, cleaning the apartment, forcing herself to eat some toast, and making herself up into as presentable a state as she could muster. She gazed miserably up at the clock again for the third time in a minute, feeling like everything was hopeless. Suddenly, her phone buzzed, lighting up to show she had a text from Peeta.

_**Peeta:**__ Could I come over at 5:30? _

Katniss looked back up at the clock. It was 5:00. She'd have 30 more minutes to figure out what to say that could make him willing to forgive her. _Only 30 minutes_. Katniss sighed softly. She hadn't been able to figure out what to say to him all day, so what difference was 30 minutes going to make? Katniss typed out a reply.

_**Katniss: **__You can come over earlier if you'd like to. I'm not doing anything. _

_**Peeta: **__Ok. See you soon. _

**XXXXX**

Katniss picked at some fabric balls on one of the couch cushions as she waited for Peeta, and her rocky stomach fluttered with butterflies. She'd written out a whole slew of things she thought she should be sorry for on a little piece of paper, scowling the entire time. Apologies weren't the easiest things for Katniss to deliver, even when she actually did need to give them. She jumped as she heard the soft knock at the door that announced Peeta's arrival. Katniss got up to let him in, summoning her first "I'm sorry" in her head with a frown but as soon as she opened the door and saw him, it died on her lips.

It wasn't like Peeta really looked any different than normal. He was wearing his favorite black sweatpants, a navy Henley, and a Capitol U hoodie, which was pretty typical for his Saturday gear, and his golden wavy hair looked like its usual unruly self. Even the pizza box he held in one hand and the bag of what smelled like cheese buns he had in the other weren't surprising. Only his broad grin was missing, replaced instead by that same tiny strained smile he'd had on earlier, but Katniss still thought he was the hottest guy she'd ever seen. She waved him in without a word, cursing her inability to act normally in any social situation, even one involving just her and her best friend.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, tossing the pizza and bag onto the counter. "I figured you didn't eat much today."

Katniss shrugged. "I had a bit of toast earlier, but I'm ok for now." She wasn't about to admit that the thought of any food at this moment was too much for her. Peeta nodded and took a seat on the couch while Katniss took up her place in the arm chair. They stared at one another for a solid thirty seconds until Peeta startled Katniss by starting to laugh.

"Shit, Katniss," he chuckled. "I think the last time we were this awkward with one another was that time your top came off in front of me at Delly's lake house during sophomore year." Katniss blushed but also started to laugh.

"I learned my lesson…Wearing a bikini for the first time the day you are going water tubing is not the best idea."

Peeta continued to laugh. "I'll never get why you did that." But upon hearing those words, Katniss' mouth quickly dropped back into a scowl. She'd done that for _him_, not that she cared to admit that right at this moment. Peeta noticed her frown and quickly stopped laughing too. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak. "Katniss, about last week. I'm sorry for not… I shouldn't have walked out on you. I should have explained better about the party." He let out a short rueful bark. "Actually, I'm just sorry I ever thought to go in the first place. I know it's not your thing, but I thought you'd want to come with...Well, I don't really know what I was thinking." He looked at her sadly.

Katniss mouth fell open. Of all the things Peeta could have said, several apologies of his own was not what she expected. It made her a little angry, as irrational as it was. "Why the hell do you always assume everything is your fault? You always do that!" she asked exasperatedly, earning her a surprised and alarmed look from Peeta. Katniss stood up and began to pace in front of him, suddenly full of such nervous energy she couldn't sit still. "You always think you're to blame when we have a fight, and I know some of that's is a result of your mother, and her inability to be pleased with _anything_, but seriously, sometimes it's not all your fault!" Katniss knew she was ranting now. She wasn't even sure where all this was coming from.

"Sorry," Katniss heard Peeta say almost inaudibly, causing her to abruptly stop in front of him. She glared down at him.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I was the one who acted like a jerk and immediately assumed you were ditching me for that stupid party. I didn't let you explain anything, and then when Annie and Finnick that they were so happy I'd come around, told me that you'd wanted to ask me to go with you...That made so happy…but then...Cashmere," Katniss halted, realizing she was confessing far more than she was meaning to. She'd lost that chance to say how she felt, and now she just needed to apologize before he told her they were done permanently. She walked over to the window and stared out at the quickly darkening sky.

"Katniss," Peeta said, but Katniss gripped the windowsill and plowed on.

"And...and I made a complete jackass of myself in the street, and then I vomited all over you, and you had to carry me home, and I know you probably stayed up the whole night watching me, because that's just the type of thing you do."

"Katniss," Peeta said a little louder. She heard the couch creak a little as he got up, but she still couldn't bring herself to face him even as she saw him approach her in the reflection of the window's glass.

"Me, Katniss Everdeen," she continued, beginning to tremble. "Your dumbass best friend who doesn't deserve you at all, and I totally get if you want to me to leave you alone from now on. I wouldn't blame you. I-"

"Katniss!" he called out.

"What?!" Katniss yelled, her chest heaving with her confession. She turned around to find that she and Peeta were separated from one another by mere inches. Peeta looked down at her with a serious expression, but Katniss thought she detected a smile playing at his lips.

"You were happy when you found out I was going to ask you to the party?" he questioned. Katniss felt her mouth dropping all the way to the floor.

"_That's _what you got from all that?"

Peeta smiled and tucked a lock of hair that had fallen across Katniss' cheek behind her ear before placing his hands on either side of her head, effectively trapping her against the wall. He leaned in a little closer, setting Katniss' heart off at a galloping pace. Seemingly of their own accord, her eyes flicked down to Peeta's mouth, and she watched as his tongue darted out to moisten his lower lip. She slowly looked back up again to meet his eyes, which seemed to darken under her stare. He took another step forward so that his mouth was against her ear, and Katniss let out a small squeak as Peeta's chest lightly brushed her own.

"What I heard, Katniss…" Peeta said, his warm breath caressing the shell of her ear. "...Is that you were jealous when you thought I was at the party with Cashmere. Is that correct?" he asked in a mischievous tone.

"I...Well, I…" Katniss floundered, gasping when she felt Peeta's lips just graze her neck, sending warmth flooding from the place he'd touched to the tips of fingers and toes. It felt so good. Peeta pulled away from her so that he could meet her eyes again.

"Come on, sweetheart," he said teasingly. "I've been trying to figure out for years if you love me the same way I love you. Don't stop talking now." Katniss gasped. Peeta's tone may have been joking, but she could see by the anxiety in his eyes that he was serious.

_The way I love you. _

"You...you love me?" she asked tentatively, unable to comprehend the truth of his words even though she'd just heard them come out of his mouth. Peeta took a deep breath and brought one hand up to cup her cheek, and Katniss leaned into his touch.

"Kat, I've been in love with you since we were 5 Half the reason I wanted to go to that party was so that I didn't have to spend another night alone with you without being able to kiss you."

"But… you've dated…you've dated other...girls," Katniss said haltingly, stunned by his admission, but her stubborn brain still refused to believe him, even knowing this was virtually all she'd ever wanted to hear from him.

"Well, yeah, but you see, I didn't think you'd ever see me in _that_ way, so I tried to forget. I...obviously looked at other girls, and I'm sorry I did, but there's a reason none of my relationships lasted. It's because none of them were you." He looked at her imploringly, and Katniss felt tears forming in her eyes as she finally began to accept what Peeta was trying to say. "I thought you just saw me as your friend, and I didn't want to freak you out by confessing my feelings. I thought it was better to keep you as my best friend than to lose you entirely by telling you something that you didn't want to hear."

Katniss stared at him for a few moments before she finally whispered, "You're an idiot." Peeta's face split into the widest grin she'd ever seen on his face.

"Is that your way of saying you feel the same?" he smiled. "You love me. Real or not real?"

"Real," Katniss laughed, the tears that were making her vision blurry finally beginning to spill down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tightly to her, until Peeta lifted her chin with the hand that was still holding her cheek.

"I love you, Katniss."

"I love you, too."

Peeta sighed happily. "I don't think I ever thought I'd hear you say those words." Katniss rolled her eyes a little. He really never did know when to stop talking

"Peeta…" she said, amusement and irritation in her tone. "I've probably wanted to tell you that almost as long as you've wanted to tell me, and I've wanted you to kiss me for just as long. So, I'd like to be done talking now." .

"Wait, Katniss, what? Nearly as long?" he started, eyes growing large. Katniss snorted. _Screw it; she'd waited long enough_. _And he really never does stop talking._ She pushed up on her toes and pressed her mouth to his for a brief second, savoring the feel of his soft, warm lips against her own, before pulling away, but Peeta didn't let her get too far. He brought both his hands up to cradle her face and ran his thumbs along her jaw. "Ok, no more talking," he mumbled. Katniss laughed, and they both leaned in to reconnect for a deeper kiss.

Katniss cried out as Peeta pushed her up against the wall while he ran his tongue along her bottom lip, begging entrance to her mouth. Katniss opened to him willingly, having dreamt about what he tasted like for years. She sucked on him as he explored her mouth, inducing mewling sounds of pleasure in the back of her throat. Katniss hooked her leg around his calf to draw him even closer, clutched at his shoulders to steady herself, while Peeta lifted her off the ground without breaking their mouth's contact. Peeta brought his arms up to support her, one arm along her lower back and the other cupping Katniss along her ass, and Katniss wrapped her legs around him.. They continued in this way for what Katniss thought could have been a few minutes, or a few days, or even a few years, the way it felt, with tendrils of heat wracking her body with every slight shift in movement. Finally, Peeta pulled away, gasping for breath.

"That...was...amazing," he said, taking deep long droughts of air as he tried to catch his breath. Katniss kissed his neck and slid her feet down to the floor, but she stayed pressed against him, acutely aware of his rock-hard length pressed against her stomach. She ground against him experimentally, drawing a loud groan from him. He grabbed at her hips and moved against her.

"I want you," Katniss said abruptly. Peeta looked down at her with astonished eyes. "Peeta, I want you."

"Katniss…" he said her name in a voice laced with uncertainty. "We've been, dating, for like 30 minutes, and I know...I know you haven't…" Peeta trailed off, his neck pink. Katniss blushed.

It wasn't exactly a secret that she'd never had sex. She'd never dated anyone. She'd never even had a one night stand. Johanna had even thoroughly embarrassed her two years ago by giving her a vibrator for her birthday, when it was clear to her friend that Katniss wasn't interested in dating anyone...or at least not anyone she was willing to admit to. She placed her hands on Peeta's chest and looked up at him, hoping against hope that, for once, the right words would come to her.

"I want you," she repeated again, summoning her courage. "I wasn't kidding when I said I've felt the same way about you nearly as long as you have me. I think...I've been waiting for _this…_for_ you…_for what feels like as long as I can remember." She pressed into him harder and boldly placed a hand over the bulge in his sweatpants, running a hand along his length. Peeta groaned, closing his eyes against the sensation, and thrust gently into her hand. He opened them back up again and searched her face.

"You're sure?" he asked her. She wasn't sure she'd ever loved him more.

"I'm sure," Katniss nodded in affirmation, and tugged him in the direction of her bedroom. But then he stopped right outside the door, a sheepish expression on his face. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Um, I don't have any condoms. I usually have one in my wallet, but uh, I gave that to Finnick last night. The idiot lost his, and shit, sorry…" He ran a hand through his hair, blushing hard. Katniss just laughed and ran down the hall to Johanna's room, rummaging in her roommate's nightstand until she found what she wanted. She returned, holding up the a few thin foil packets in triumph for Peeta to see.

"Have you forgotten who I live with?" she asked. Peeta laughed, even as he turned redder still. Katniss pulled him into her bedroom and shut the door, hoping Johanna would keep choosing to stay away from the apartment for a little while longer. She flipped off her bedside lamp, the light not needed while the sun was still in the sky, before turning back to Peeta with a nervous expression, blushing when she saw he was not staring at her but at the white tunic from her costume still strewn across the floor. "Sorry, it looks like I forgot to clean that up," she said.

Peeta looked up at her, his blue eyes dark and blazing in the dim light from the lamp. "You were the most beautiful goddess at that party, Katniss," he growled quietly, taking a few, slow, almost predatory steps towards her. Katniss' heart pounded in her chest when she saw the desire on his face when he stopped in front of her.

"Wasn't I the only one dressed as a goddess?" she joked. "And now that I think about it, you were the only one to actually get what my costume was. Most people just thought I was wearing a toga. And, um, besides, there were plenty of other pretty girls there."

Peeta shook his head, replying, "We're in the same class, Kat. I got it. And you'll always the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, whether you're dressed as a goddess or not."

_Always._

Hearing the word triggered something in Katniss' hazy alcohol-muddled memory. "I asked you to stay with me, asked you not to leave me, and you said that." Peeta looked at her with confusion. "Always," Katniss clarified. She took the last step towards him to close the space between their bodies and clasped his wrists with her hands. " Did you mean that?" she asked quietly.

Peeta nodded and smiled, lacing his fingers through hers. "Always," He leaned down to kiss her again, taking her lip between his and sucking gently.

Katniss arched into him and dropped a soft sigh of pleasure, running her hands up under his clothes so she could finally feel his warm skin beneath her fingertips. Peeta huffed out his own soft cry and quickly whipped his hoodie and shirt over his head. Katniss surveyed him, still amazed as she always was when she saw him like this, and placed one hand on his hard stomach, the other on his chest. Peeta stared at her for a moment, pressing into Katniss' touch, before he brought his hands around her back and tugged her shirt over her head.

"Fuck," he whispered. "Did you do that on purpose?" he asked incredulously. He pointed at the orange strap of Katniss' favorite bra. Katniss shook her head.

"No…"Katniss smiled. "But there's a chance it's my favorite bra because I know it's your favorite color."

Peeta swore again and backed Katniss up until her knees hit the bed, causing her to collapse down onto it. Peeta tugged her socks off as Katniss fumbled with the buttons on her jeans, allowing Peeta to gently pull them off once she'd gotten them undone. He tore of his own socks and pants until he was standing before her only in his underwear. Katniss' eyes were drawn to the outline of his cock, now made even more prominent through the thin fabric of his boxer-briefs. She exhaled shakily, wondering internally how something that big was supposed to fit inside her. Peeta lay down beside her.

"I promise I'll make it good for you," he whispered. "And I'm sorry, I should have waited to share this with you." He began peppering kisses along Katniss' jaw before drawing down one strap of her bra to suckle at the sensitive skin along her collarbone. Katniss sighed under the onslaught of new sensation.

"As long as you were always thinking about me," Katniss tried to tease, but her voice came out in a wheezing breath. She gasped as one of Peeta's hands cupped her breasts, pinching her nipples into hard peaks and watched as he brought his mouth down to suck one. Katniss clutched at his head, wishing the thin fabric of her bra were not in the way. Peeta chuckled.

"Katniss," he said, pulling her up slightly so that he could unhook her bra. He pulled it off her and tossed it across the room, eyes darkening to midnight at the sight of her exposed breasts. He lowered himself back down so that he was level with her breasts. "You've been the star of every fantasy I've had since I was twelve," Peeta said, his warm breath driving Katniss into an even higher state of arousal. She cried out loudly as Peeta took her mound into his mouth, biting down on her electrified skin before soothing the sting with the flat of his tongue, massaging the other with his hand. Katniss started to rub against him to relieve some of the fast building pressure between her legs. "God," Peeta groaned, rocking his hips against her in time with her rhythm, while switching his mouth to her other breast to perform the same ministrations upon it. Eventually, his kisses began trailing lower and lower, until finally, with a nod of confirmation from Katniss, Peeta pulled her panties down and off, flinging them across the room to join her bra.

Peeta stared at her, seemingly mesmerized, until Katniss couldn't take it anymore. "What are you looking at?" she asked before realizing how dumb that question sounded. It was kind of obvious, but Peeta took it in stride.

"Just the girl of my dreams," he said with a smirk. He grabbed Katniss and pulled her to the end of the bed, but it was only when he knelt before her and carefully placed her legs over his shoulders that Katniss understood what he wanted to do.

"Peeta, no, you don't have to do that," Katniss said in a panic and attempted to squeeze her legs together, but Peeta stopped her with a light caress of her thighs. Despite her reluctance, Katniss bucked her hips at his touch. Peeta looked at her pleadingly.

"Please, Katniss? I want to do this for you. The truth is...I' don't think I'll be able to last that long when I'm...inside you...for the first time," he admitted reluctantly, an embarrassed looking skirting across his face. "I've been..._we've_...been waiting too long for this. I need to do this for you." Katniss finally smiled at his last words.

"Okay," she said.

"You'll allow it?" Peeta asked, smiling back at her.

"I'll allow it."

For a second, only the sound of their soft breathing filled the room, but then Katniss cried out just when she felt Peeta's tongue descend upon her, swirling it within her folds. Katniss' hands coming up of their own volition to anchor in his hair. "Oh, Peeta," she murmured as she felt him lick along her slit, lapping at the wetness there. She tensed as she felt him slip one finger then another inside her, pumping her in a steady rhythm that Katniss followed with her hips. She moaned as his fingers curled inside her to touch a spot she hadn't even known existed. Trembling, she brought her hands up to knead her breasts as Peeta moved his tongue over her clit, encircling it before he sucked it into his mouth. "Peeta!" Katniss called again. "Right there. Please," she begged, though she wasn't even sure what for. Katniss cried out loudly as Peeta brought her over the edge, continuing his attentions on her as she writhed on the bed while she rode out her orgasm. When her shuddering finally stopped, he came up beside her, an all-too-pleased grin on his face, but Katniss didn't have the energy to smack him. Her body felt like jelly.

"Good?" Peeta asked her cheekily. Katniss mewled in a reply, and Peeta kissed her softly, seemingly content to be with her in this way until she recovered even as she felt the evidence of his own need against her thigh. It sparked a new kind of fire within Katniss, and her hunger for him stoked to an incredible height.

Katniss ran her finger down the trail of hair that led from his navel and disappeared beneath his underwear, earning a shiver from Peeta. He took the hint and stood up, shucking his boxers to join her bra and panties on the floor, and turned back to her with a nervous expression. Katniss bit her lip, eyes widening at the sight of him so open before. She'd imagined him so many times, but her fantasies were nothing compared to the real thing. This was real.

She sat up and took his length in her hand, tentatively stroking along him a few times. Peeta groaned with pleasure but put his hand over hers to stop her movement. "I want to be inside you," he whispered. He pushed her down onto her back. Katniss watched as he rolled the condom onto his length and crawled over her, positioning himself between her legs. Katniss tensed as she felt him brush against her opening, prompting Peeta to look at her with questioning eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this, Katniss? It's not a big deal if you don't," he said calmly, but Katniss could see in his eyes how badly he wanted this.

"I want this," Katniss said confidently. She was nervous, perhaps even a little scared, but she knew Peeta would never hurt her on purpose. It was all the reassurance Katniss needed.

Peeta gave her the smallest of smiles and leaned down to give her a sweet kiss that felt light as air. "I love you," he said.

"I love - OH."

Katniss gasped as she felt Peeta penetrate her entrance, stretching her in a somewhat uncomfortable way. His fingers had not felt nearly as big as his cock, and Katniss tensed from pressure. Peeta pulled back immediately.

"I'm sorry," he said. "We really don't have to do this, Katniss. It's ok."

But Katniss shook her head violently. "No!" she almost yelled. She grabbed his hips to draw him back down to her. "I want this. I do, Peeta. I'm sorry. Just...just do it quickly. I'll be less nervous." He looked at her a little skeptically, but Katniss ran a hand along his length again determinedly, causing him to let go of another long groan.

"You're going to be the death of me," he murmured. He thrust inside of her to the hilt.

"Peeta!" Katniss called out his name, clutching at his back, as she adjusted to his presence inside her body, the fullness of him so different than anything she'd ever felt before. Peeta watched her carefully, trembling against the need to move until Katniss was ready. Finally, she thrust her hips up to signal she wanted to him to begin.

Peeta took her gently, pumping inside her with long slow thrusts that Katniss felt deep within her, allowing her body to take as much of him as it could. With each thrust, Katniss became more and more comfortable, until she felt a new heat bloom in her abdomen. She joined Peeta in his pounding rhythm "You feel so tight, Katniss," Peeta panted, increasing his pace, his breath coming out in short heaving bursts.

"You feel so good," Katniss choked out, the heat in her abdomen coiling into a molten wire. Upon hearing that, Peeta's descended to attack her breasts again, his thrusts now coming in shallow, short strokes that left Katniss gasping with pleasure. She snaked a hand down to touch herself, wanting to finish before he did, but it was Peeta's turn to grasp her hand to stop her.

"No one is going to make you come tonight except me," he growled. He began to stroke inside her deeply again while he rubbed two fingers over her clit. Katniss dropped her head back against the pillow as his touch combined with his length stroking deeply within Katniss careening into her second orgasm, the feel of her hands on Peeta's body the only thing keeping her from floating away. Her shuddering walls proved to be too much for Peeta. "Katniss!" he yelled. Katniss felt him spill himself into the condoms, thrusting into her haphazardly until he too was spent. He collapsed down beside her, his breath coming out in hard pants.

They lay like that for a few minutes, each trying to catch their breaths, but eventually Peeta got up and headed in the direction of the bathroom. Katniss continued to lie on bed in stunned euphoria. _She had just lost her virginity to her best friend. It had been amazing. And he loved her. He'd loved her as long as he'd known her. Peeta loved her. _Katniss pinched herself in an attempt to confirm this wasn't a dream.

"Katniss? What are you doing?" Peeta's laughing voice came from the doorway, clearly catching her in the act.

Katniss jerked her head up, blushing, to find Peeta standing there with a grin on his face, a washcloth in his hand. Seeing him looking at her with such affection while still naked made Katniss want him again immediately, but the soreness she felt in her pelvis suggested it might be better to wait a little while.

"Trying to make sure this is real," Katniss said while Peeta made his way back to her and began to clean her carefully. Katniss winced a little. Perhaps she was more sore than she thought.

"It's definitely real," he laughed, but then asked, "Are you alright?" as he tossed the cloth away. He climbed back into the bed and gathered Katniss to him, and Katniss let out a happy sigh.

"Yeah. Just a little, um, sore," she answered.

"Sorry," Peeta said sheepishly, but the grin that returned to his face let Katniss know he wasn't _that _sorry. "You want to sleep for a little while?" he asked. Katniss nodded, astonished at how sleepy she suddenly felt. She leaned her head against his chest, enjoying the feel of Peeta's arms around her, and wishing she could freeze this moment right here, right now and live in it forever as his steady heartbeat lulled her to sleep. Just before she drifted completely into unconsciousness, Katniss swore she heard Peeta whisper one last "I love you" into her hair.

**XXXXX**

"_Boys and girls of every age_

_Wouldn't you like to see something strange?_

_Come with us and you will see_

_This, our town of Halloween_

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween_

_Pumpkins scream in the dead of night _

_This is Halloween, everybody make a scene _

_Trick or treat till the neighbors die of fright.."._

Katniss rolled her eyes as Peeta sung along tunelessly to the scene playing out on the TV at the top of his lungs, as he did every year when watched this movie. They'd only just emerged from her room after making love..._twice..._after both of them had realized they were starving. Peeta had suggested they watch _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ while they ate. _"Better late than never," _he'd said. It was a suggestion Katniss had agreed to eagerly, that was until Peeta had started singing.

"My neighbors are going to kill you," she said, hitting him lightly on the shoulder in an attempt to shut him up. Peeta grinned widely.

"They've never complained before," he said, reaching for another piece of pizza.

"Well, we've never done this on November 1st before. I'm not sure how tolerant Haymitch is going to be of your utter tone deafness. He's usually out on Halloween so he's never had to hear it before," Katniss teased. Knowing her grouchy, usually inebriated neighbor, it wouldn't actually be surprising if he did yell through the wall at her.

Peeta dismissed her accusations with a wave of his hand. "I think I have perfect pitch," he claimed.

"Sureeeee you do, Mellark."

"Just because I can't sing as well as you doesn't mean I can't hold a tune."

"Peeta, a group of mangy, stray, tabby cats howling at the moon could sing better than you."

"That is totally untrue."

Katniss let out an exasperated huff. She turned to Peeta fully and pushed him down onto the couch, the movie all but forgotten. Somehow Jack and Sally just weren't good enough entertainment for her this year. "I've got you," she said. Peeta stared up at her, smile wide and blue eyes lit brightly with amusement. He pressed his forehead against hers.

"So now that you've got me, what are you going to do with me?"

Katniss smiled down at him, grinding her pelvis into his already hardening length. She leaned down so that her lips barely touched his ear. "Put you somewhere safe but where I can still do some wicked things to you. We're still celebrating Halloween, right?"

"Yes, we are," Peeta groaned. He jerked up against her, sending a new frisson of heat slithering though Katniss' body to her core. She wrapped her legs around his waist as Peeta bodily picked them up and carried her back towards her bedroom, stopping to raid Johanna's condom stash for the fourth time.

"What are we going to tell Jo?" Peeta asked.

"That the ghosts took it. This _is _Halloween, after all."


End file.
